Apple will show more ads in App Store search results from March 3 (summary)
A credited summary of MacRumors’ report on Apple expanding App Store search ads: phased rollout, multiple positions in search results, and what advertisers can (and can’t) control.
Original article (source): MacRumors — “Apple to Show More Ads in App Store Starting in March”
This post is a summary with attribution + a backlink.
What’s changing
MacRumors reports Apple told developers it will start showing additional ads in App Store search results starting Tuesday, March 3.
Key detail: instead of one sponsored result at the top, there will be multiple sponsored placements that can appear further down the results list.
Rollout timing
- First markets: UK + Japan
- Then other markets, with a goal of all markets by end of March
What advertisers can control (and can’t)
The report (citing Apple’s help page) says:
- existing Search Results campaigns are automatically eligible
- you can’t choose a specific position or bid separately by position
In practice, this likely increases volatility in:
- impression distribution across queries
- CTR/CVR by placement
- marginal CPC/CPT dynamics as inventory expands
Why it matters for ASO + UA teams
If users see more ads per search, it can:
- compress organic visibility “above the fold”
- increase the value of conversion rate improvements (store listing becomes more performance-like)
- make query hygiene (match types, negatives) even more important
Read the original: https://www.macrumors.com/2026/01/23/more-app-store-ads-coming-soon/
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